ILIDA AND OLYMPIA ON THE FRONT LINE OF THE PATH THAT LEADS TO PEACE.
The 5th Route of Olympic Truce was successfully completed in full compliance with the health protocol.
In an atmosphere of enthusiasm, emotion, fellowship, respect for fellow participants and solidarity, while fully observing the health protocol, the activities of the Federation of Olympia in Ilia for the “Route of Olympic Truce 2020” were successfully completed on Sunday, August 30.
Despite the extreme weather conditions, with temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius, athletes from all over Greece as well as from abroad walked the 50 kilometers of the “Route of Truce” from Ancient Ilida to Ancient Olympia.
It is recalled that the “Route of Olympic Truce” had initially been scheduled to take place on March 8, led by Japanese marathon runner Minori Hayakari and world champion in Tae Kwon Do Maria Karpathaki, aiming to honor the host country of the Olympic Games as well as International Women’s Day, which coincided with that date.
However, the lockdown that was imposed resulted in the postponement of the Route of Truce by five months.
The runners set off early on Sunday morning (30.08) at 05:45, from the entrance of the Old Museum of Ancient Ilida. They passed through the villages of Dafni, Keramidia, Dafniotissa, Peristeri, Cheimadio, Sopi, Karatoula, Magoula, Latzoi, Herakleia, Pournari, Pelopio and Platanos, and arrived at the Old Town Hall of Ancient Olympia, where the award ceremony also took place.
The “Route of Olympic Truce 2020” takes place along the ecotourism route of “The Route of Truce”, has no competitive character, and runners who completed the 49.8 km route are awarded unique numbered medals. This year’s medals were designed by the distinguished sculptor Evangelos Moustakas (creator of the equestrian statue of Alexander the Great in Thessaloniki and the sculpture of the Fall of Icarus in Karaiskaki Square in Athens).
This year, the route was led by professor and runner Aristea Nikolopoulou from Patras, with numerous distinctions in Greece (national marathon and cross-country championships) as well as internationally. Faithful to the annual appointment with the Route of Truce, Ms. Nikolopoulou has participated continuously in the event since 2016.
In all the villages along the route, the runners received the warmest hospitality from the local residents, who once again offered local delicacies, wishing to demonstrate that the philosophy of “Xenios Zeus” continues to live on in the land that gave birth to the Olympic Games.
Alongside the Route of Truce, which connects the host city of the Olympic Games, Ilida, with the place where they were held, Ancient Olympia, the Route of Hercules was held for the first time this year, linking the area of Agrapidochori—where in antiquity those entering the Kingdom of Ilida laid down their arms—with Ancient Ilida, and the Route of Ifitos, in honor of the king who established the Truce, from the main square of Ilida to the theatre.
THE ROUTE OF HERCULES was held for the first time in a deeply emotional atmosphere.
Before the start of the race, in the square of Agrapidochori in the Municipality of Ilida, opposite the hill of Armatova, a short symbolic ceremony took place for the laying down of the arms of two ancient warriors.
Two warriors in ancient attire and carrying weapons, after laying down their arms, received from priestesses (from the dance school of Ms. Zoi Andritsou) an olive branch—an eternal symbol of peace and of the ancient Olympic Games. They in turn handed them to the ultramarathon runner and modern-day hemerodromos Giannis Kouros and to marathon runner and holder of the Greek national record in the Marathon and the 10,000 meters, Director of ASAED, Captain Spyros Andriopoulos, who led the first Route of Hercules.
Describing the activities of the Federation of Olympia, its President, Sofia Hintziou–Kontogianni, recalled that “the laying down of arms and the cessation of hostilities during the period of the Olympic Games constituted the Sacred Truce.”
We therefore launched the 1st Route of Hercules, hoping that we are not simply starting yet another route along a beautiful landscape of Ilia, but a road race to shape a better society through the application of Olympic values.
